


Day 043

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [43]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22681273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [43]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 043

Hawke stood, draped in fabric, while an elderly elven man poked pins in various places. Lady Elegant has made him promise to return to her manor, first thing in the morning, where she had an entire army of staff waiting for their turn with him. First, he had been bathed. Hawke had been washing himself since he was a child but apparently, he had been doing it all wrong. He had been powdered and oiled and perfumed. Someone had trimmed his hair and beard, and left some sort of substance behind that made his hair stay in positions he could normally only achieve with magic. 

He had no idea where the clothes he had worn had gone to but now he was draped in velvet, died in greens and browns. The tailor was muttering to himself as he worked and every so often he would hold open one of Hawke’s eyes and muttered about the colour. 

When the elf was done with him he was passed on to a vocal coach, a severe looking blond woman who tutted disapprovingly at every single syllable’s Hawke uttered. Hawke has been talking even longer that he had been washing himself, but apparently he had been doing that wrong too. According to the coach he barked like a dog and didn’t hold his Rs long enough. 

“They are not cheap copper to be dropped and forgotten!”

Eventually, she declared they had made all the progress they could for that day and left. Then it was just Hawke, Champion Hawke, and Lady Elegant discussing strategy.

“It seems so depressing,” Hawke groused, “that the fate of the city might depend on my ability to pernounce the letter R.”

“You think so?” Elegant replied. “More our less depressing than when it depends on your ability to slaughter three dozen men in an afternoon?”

“You disapprove of my activities.” Hawke was somewhat surprised, and, he could admit, slightly hurt. 

“I’m merely giving you perspective,” She replied. “I can’t very well disapprove of the very thing that keeps me in business.”

“I’m surprised you still are in the business of potion-making. Now that you’re nobility, you can’t have need of the money.”

“You overestimate the wealth I married into,” Lady Elegant replied. “All my dear husband had when we married was his name and his mansion. Some of us still have to work for our keep. You know this better than anyone.”

“I do,” Hawke admitted.

“This is,” she said, ”in fact the basis of our strategy. Every noble relies on something for their fortune, and most of them would benefit from your aid.”

“Your strategy is for me to help everyone solve their problems until they agree to help?”

“It’s a classic for a reason,” she said, producing a comically long scroll. “I have put together a list of the nobles most likely to be willing to support the elves as well as the ones who are in hard enough times to need our support.” How easily she used the word our. It might be a sign of support but the more cynical read was that ‘our’ would one day apply to Lady Elegant‘s goals just as quickly. 

“If we are going to get through this list,” Hawke said. “I’m going to need more tea.”


End file.
